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France is poised to become the first European country to ban children under 15 from using social media platforms.
The French senate and national assembly were expected to approve a bill on Tuesday that would prevent children under 15 from creating or using social media profiles. No unexpected obstacles were expected ahead of the vote.
“France will become the first country in Europe to introduce a digital age limit to better protect our children online,” Anne Le Henanff, France’s minister of digital affairs, said on Monday on X after members of parliament agreed on the final text of the bill.
Pres. Emmanuel Macron has been campaigning for the ban for some time and has pledged that it will be implemented by September. It is considered one of the most important reforms of his last term in office.
The proposed ban will be introduced in two phases. Children under 15 will no longer be allowed to create new social media profiles from 1 September. From January 2027, the ban will also apply to existing accounts.
Also read: UAE also bans use of social media for youngsters
According to Le Henanff, the timeline is feasible because technology to confirm users’ ages is already available, while further tools are still being developed.
Social media platforms will be responsible for enforcing the age limit. Le Henanff also assured that users’ personal information will be protected during the age verification process.
The legislation also includes a ban on mobile phones in French high schools. According to the government, this provision will already apply at the beginning of the new school year in September.
Concerns about teenagers’ mental health
(Photo: Saeed Khan / AFP)
France’s public health authority warned last year that platforms such as TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram could have a detrimental effect on teenagers, especially girls. However, according to the authorities, social media is not the only reason for the deterioration of young people’s mental health.
Although French lawmakers agreed that greater regulation was needed, the two chambers of parliament initially disagreed on how it should be applied.
The senate proposed a two-tier system that would blacklist platforms deemed harmful to children’s development. Children would still be able to use other platforms with their parents’ permission.
However, the national assembly’s proposal for a total ban ultimately prevailed.
Some left-wing lawmakers have raised concerns about the age verification process, the speed at which the law must be enforced, possible ways children can circumvent it and privacy protections.
Online encyclopedias and educational platforms will be excluded from the ban. The law also does not provide for any punitive measures against children or their parents.
Laure Miller, a member of parliament, told AFP that the major social media platforms were already “largely ready” to apply the rules.
Europe had twists and turns
Several other European countries will be closely watching the developments in France.
The European Union (EU) is itself considering stricter age restrictions after countries such as France, Greece and Spain asked for them.
Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, said last week that children should start using social media gradually and in stages.
The European Commission has also launched an age verification application that has been tested by several member states, including France, over the past few months.
If France adopts the law, it will join some 20 countries worldwide that have proposed or already introduced similar measures.
In December last year, Australia became the first country in the world to oblige major platforms such as TikTok, YouTube and Snapchat to remove the accounts of users under the age of 16. Platforms that do not comply can face heavy fines.
Also read: Meta calls for Australia to relax social media ban for youngsters
Maroela Media previously reported that Australia’s ban on social media use by children under the age of 16 already came into effect on December 10, 2025. Meta subsequently removed around 544,000 accounts of minors on Instagram, Facebook and Threads, but asked the Australian government to relax the ban and instead allow parents to give permission for their children’s social media use. The company also warned that young people may migrate to less regulated platforms.